Ignition switch



March 12, 1946. o. H. HASSELBAUM' v 2,396,372v

IGNITION SWITCH Filed Sept. 11, 1943 2 SheetsSheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

///3 AWI M/ March 12, 0. H. HASSELBAUM 2,396,372

' IGNITION SWITCH Filed Sept. 11, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 jNVENTOR.

Patented Mar. 12, 1946 IGNITION SWITCH Oscar H. Hasselbaum, Dorchester, Mass, assignor to Joseph Pollack Corporation, Dorchester,

Mass.

Application September 11, 1943, Serial No. 502,000

7 Claims.

The present invention relates to a switch mechanism and more particularly to an ignition switch mechanism for controlling the electrical connections for a magneto circuit used in internal combustion engines having spark ignition control.

It is particularly important in the controlling of internal combustion spark ignition engines used in planes to provide means for conveniently and positively switching on and off the various ignition circuits. This is useful for operating and controlling the engine as well as for test purposes, and engines which have dual magneto operation should have switch controls for operating each group of magnetos independently, successively and concurrently, as Well as provision for grounding both magneto banks and emergency means for grounding all the circuits.

The switch of the present invention provides this combination providing a switch with an off position for all magnetos, and an on position successively in different positions for different magnetos as well as an emergency switch for grounding all the electrical circuits.

The ignition switch of the present invention may be mounted on an instrument panel and may be provided with complete shields if desired. The structure of the switch is such that it may be built up for the operation of 1, 2, 3 or 4 engines, providing in its assembly means for mounting one to four individual similar switch elements each controlling two magneto banks for on and off positions of either or both.

Further merits and improvements of the present invention will be more readily understood from the specification below when taken in connection with the drawings illustrating an embodiment of the invention describing and showing the mechanical construction, in which- Figure 1 shows substantially a sectional elevation of the switch.

Figure 2 shows a plan view looking at the switch from the rear.

Figure 3 shows a side elevation of the switch.

Figure 4 shows a portion of the view shown in Figure 2 in fragmentary section.

Figure 5 shows a central sectional view of the switch looking towards the front end of the switch, and,

Figure 6 shows a section substantially in the same position as Figure 5 looking towards the rear of the switch.

In the figures the switch mechanism is mounted and supported on the block or flange 10, which may be made of cast iron or other metal or non metal.

The plate or flange has projecting from the back side four or more posts shown in Figures 3 and 5, as 50, 5|, 52 and 53, spaced in diametrical directions near the periphery of the flange. Between these projection posts are projecting bars or bosses crossed at right angles and indicated in Figure 5 as 54, 55, 5B and 51.

The posts 50, 5|, 52 and 53 are recessed to receive terminal posts 25 which are comparatively long and which also support the insulating plate or flange 42. This plate or flange 42 has ofiset bosses or hollow posts 58, 59, and 6|, which are placed in alignment with the posts 50, 5|, 52 and 53, and through which pass the terminal posts 25. Long hexagonal nuts 21 screw down over the terminal posts 25 and firmly hold with the lock washer 2c the insulating plate or flange 42 in position. Molded as a part of the plate or flange 42 at the back is an insulated terminal block 62. This block 62 projects from the flange 42 and is provided with recesses 63 extending inwardly from the side faces of the block 62 and serve as channels to receive the connecting terminal post screws 23. The terminals 22 are bent up as an angle element and riveted by contact rivets 2| through the flange 42, the rivets fixing and making contact on the inner face of the flange with the flat spring contacts l5 and 20 directed radially towards and into a central opening 64. The spring contacts l9 and 20 are set in surface recesses in the flange 42 so that the springs are well beneath the surface of the insulating flange.

A switch shaft or contact post 3| is journallecl in the flange 10. A lever 808 is fitted over the face end of the shaft 3| and pinned to the shaft by the pin 35. The shaft 3| at its other end carries wiper switch spring blades 6 which wipe over the rivet contact heads 2|.

The switch shaft 3| carries the click washer or plate 4 which moves in an are over the surface of the cross bosses 55 and 51. These washers serve to lock the switches in their various positions and for this purpose are provided with holes 65, 65, which in different positions of the switches engage the balls |l positioned in recesses 66 in the bosses 56 and 5? which balls are urged or pressed against the click washers by means of the springs Ill. The wiper plates 6 and the washers 4 are spaced from each other by means of the spacing washer 5 and the whole assembly is held in place by means of the lock washer 32 and the nut 9 which threads over the end of the shaft 3|. The click washers 4 have two turned up projecting flanges 61 and 68 which are turned at an angle over the sides of the crossed bosses 55 and 51 so that in the end limiting positions the switches lock in place and may not be rotated further in either direction, whereby the switches turn only through a given sector. Both individual switches of the assembly are alike, each having a lever element and each moving through the same general position. In one extreme position the spring contact wiper 6 bears on two contact riveted heads 2!, and in this position the termimale of both banks are grounded through the metal plate or flange ill and the ground terminal post 25 to which the flange is connected directly. In the second position of the lever 8938, only one contact terminal is grounded, while in the third position, there is also only one contact grounded, but now it is the other one of the pair that was grounded in the previous position. In the fourth position of the switch, neither contact terminal is grounded and therefore both magneto banks are running.

In order to provide a complete and instantaneous ground for both switches under any condition, the switch is provided with an emergency pull out member or jack t9, the construction of which will be described directly below.

This pull out jack is mounted at the center of the cross bosses 55, 56 and and journaled in a recess in the flange or block iii, per-- mitting longitudinal motion of the jack but not rotation. This construction comprises a central shaft or post l over one end of which the pull out knob 3 is fastened by means of the pin Within the recesses in the flange it is a longitudinal key-way it into which a pin 39 projects mounted in the side of the shaft 55 so that the shaft l5 may not rotate. Ihe pull out switch has two positions which are definitely flxed by means of the grooves ill '65 extending all the way about the shaft iii. These grooves engage the ball l2 positioned in a recess 78 in the flange l2 and forced against the shaft 55 by means of the spring iii which is held in place and compressed by means of the screw iii threading into the recess or hole "it from the edge face of the flange The recess extends radially towards the shaft is and fixes the shaft in one of two positions either in the position where the shaft is fully in or where the shaft is fully out. The shaft at the switch end carries an insulating collar or sleeve it over which flts a contact washer I? which rests on a shoulder at the end of the shaft and which is held by a plain washer i3, a lock washer it and nut 16. The assembly of the contact washer is all within the central opening in the insulating block and is protected by the projection of the terminal insulating bloclr iii? carrying the terminal contacts. The switch contact washer if is adapted to engage the contacts iii and Eli when the knob is pulled forward from the panel of the switch, In this position the washer El engages all contacts is and 23, which it will be remembered are connected to the terminals and the terminal post screws 23 so that when the central jack is pulled forward all these terminal contacts are grounded through the flange l6 regardless of the position of the levers 868 and the terminal positions 25. The flange it may be recessed in its front face to receive a face plate 5 which is fastened to the front of the flange it by means of the screws 31. The entire switch may be mounted to a main terminal board by bolts engaging the elastic stop nuts 2 at the corners of the switch itself.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. An ignition switch comprising a conducting flange, an insulating flange, means mounting and spacing said flanges in opposed face to face relationship, a rotatable switch shaft journalled perpendicularly in said conducting flange and having a wiping spring switch contact member with a plurality of arms carried at the end of said shaft, a plurality of contact studs carried on said insulating flange positioned thereon to engage said wiping contact member, a plurality of radial contact springs extending from said contact members to a central opening in said switch and a central jack positioned in said opening and carrying a contact plate adapted to engage said radial contact springs when said jack is pulled out.

2. An ignition switch comprising a conducting flange having bosses projecting from the back side thereof in the shape of a symmetrical cross, projecting posts also projecting from said flange between the ends of said bosses, a second insulating flange having similarly positioned projecting posts aligned with the posts projecting from said flange, said insulating posts being hollow and each carrying a rod therein fastened in the pro jecting posts of said flange, a nut threading over said rod and holding said insulating flange in position, and switch means mounted partly on said conducting flange and partly on said insulating flange and rotatably cooperating together.

3. An ignition switch comprising a conducting flange having bosses projecting from the back side thereof in the shape of a symmetrical cross, projecting posts also projecting from said flange between the ends of said bosses, a second insulating flange having similarly positioned projecting posts aligned with the posts projecting from said flange, said insulating posts being hollow and each carrying a rod therein fastened in the projecting posts of said flange, a nut threading over said rod and holding said insulating flange in position, and switch means mounted partly on said conducting flange and partly on said insulating flange and rotatably cooperating together, said switching means comprising a switch shaft journalled perpendicularly in said boss, carrying a lever at the front end of said shaft and at its other end a wiping spring element having a plurality of contact arms together with a locking plate facing said boss, said boss having recessed therein a spring engaging member en aging recesses in said locking plate.

4. An ignition switch comprising a conducting flange, an insulating flange, means mounting and spacing said flanges in opposed fac to face relationship, a rotatable switch shaft journalled perpendicularly in said conducting flange and having a wiping spring switch contact member with a plurality of arms carried at the end of said shaft, a plurality of contact studs carried on said insulating flange positioned thereon to engage said wiping contact member, a plurality of radial contact springs extending from said contact members to a central opening in said switch and a central jack positioned in said opening and carrying a contact plate adapted to engage said radial contact springs when said jack is pulled out, said central jack having a pair of spaced grooves extending around the jack shaft and a spring engaging member positioned radially in said conducting flange engaging said grooves limiting and fixing a closed and open position of said Jack.

5. An ignition switch comprising a conducting flange, an insulating flange, means mounting and spacing said flanges in opposed face to face relationship, a rotatable switch shaft journalled perpendicularly in said conducting flange and having a wiping spring switch contact member with a plurality of arms carried at the end of said shaft, a plurality of contact studs carried on said insulating flange positioned thereon to engage said wiping contact member, a plurality of radial contact springs extending from said contact members to a central opening in said switch and a central jack positioned in said opening and carrying a contact plate adapted to engage said radial contact springs when said jack is pulled out, said central jack having a pair of spaced grooves extending around the jack shaft and a spring engaging member positioned radially in said conducting flange engaging said grooves limiting and fixing a closed and open position of said jack, and means preventing the jack from being rotated.

6. An ignition switch comprising a conducting flange having bosses projecting from the back side thereof in the shape of a symmetrical cross, projecting posts also projecting from said flange between the ends of said bosses, a second insulating flange having similarly positioned pro jecting posts aligned with the posts projecting from said flange, said insulating posts being hollow and each carrying a rod therein fastened in the projecting posts of said flange, a nut threading over said rod and holding said insulating flange in position, said insulating flange having a central opening with contact springs projecting radially into said openings, and a switch jack operatively positioned in said central opening and adapted to engage, when moved in a direction perpendicular to the surface of said flange, said contact springs.

7. An ignition switch comprising a plate member having projecting segments symmetrically positioned radially of a central point of said plate, a rotatable shaft journalled perpendicularly in said plate member through said projecting segments, a switch handle attached to said shaft on one side of the plate member, a spring switch contact member having a plurality of wiping contact spring arms, means mounting said member on said shaft on the other side of the plate and spacing it from said plate, latching means for fixing the positions of the wiping contact spring arms comprising a flat member also mounted on said shaft facing the surface of said projecting segments; said flat member being recessed at chosen spaced intervals, and a spring latching means mounted in said projecting segments and adapted to engage successively said recesses when said flat member is rotated, a secend plate member having bosses projecting toward the first plate member for supporting in spaced, opposed relation said second plate memher from said first, a plurality of contact studs insulatingly mounted on said second plate memher in position to be wiped by said wiping contact spring arms, the positions of contact of the Wiping arms to the contact studs corresponding to the positions of the recesses in said flat member with respect to the spring latching element.

OSCAR. H. HASSELBAUM. 

